This is a product that I am personally very fond of. If you use a handgun for self-defense or property defense, this is a something you really need to look into. Crimson Trace laser grips offer a laser sighting solution for many types of handguns that do not hinder the operation of the gun. They provide intuitive normal grip based activation.

You may be saying to yourself – “I consider myself a decent shot – especially at close range, why in the world would I need a laser?”. Good question, let me attempt to answer this:

During dynamic critical incidents (using combat focus shooting terminology here) most people succumb to great amounts of stress. Even the best shooters and highly trained law enforcement officers can experience this. The increased stress causes fine motor skills to be hindered, adrenaline to start flowing, and tunnel vision to develop. The addition of a laser assists in acquiring the target under these stressful situations. This is one less thing you need to worry about during a dynamic critical incident.

The use of a laser allows you to keep both eyes on the target and surrounding environment. If you have to focus on iron sights, you are much less likely to be able to see the “whole picture” of what is happening in your environment.

The glow of a “red dot” shining on the middle of an aggressor’s chest has an amazing deterrent effect. In some situations, this in itself may be enough to stop the conflict.

The use of a laser affords you better accuracy in unorthodox shooting positions. Lets say you are in your car and an aggressor approaches you in a threatening manner – you aren’t likely to have time to draw your weapon, fully extend, align the sights, and fire. With a laser, you can accurately and quickly place shots on target from less than desirable positions. Remember that most dynamic critical incidents happen EXTREMELY fast and without warning. Why not have every possible edge you can get?

In an indoor environment (such as a residence), you may find yourself having to enter rooms around corners or doorways using a “slice the pie” technique. The use of a laser allows you to hold the gun off of your line of sight thus exposing less of your body to a potential aggressor that may you not be able see in the next room. The smaller amount of your body exposed, the less mass there is for a bad guy to shoot at.

This one is pretty simple and obvious. The laser provides a tactical advantage over traditional iron sights in low light situations.

A laser is an excellent training development tool. It allows you to safely dry fire practice (always with an UNLOADED gun that has been verified empty at least twice!) your handgun with the laser activated. Watching the laser will allow you to practice fundamentals such as trigger control.

To me, any one of the above is enough justification to invest in in a laser. If you are still not convinced, I recommend check out the Crimson Trace website and order their free DVD.

The Good:

I think we covered that pretty well above.

The Bad:

Laser grips are not cheap, but in the grand scheme of things the tactical advantages gained by this product justify the cost. Note – grips are usually available at a lower cost if you buy from an online distributor/retailer vs. purchasing from Crimson Trace direct.

The laser does not work well in high light situations such as outdoor environments on a sunny day.

Not available for every model of handgun (Springfield EMP being an example)

Crimson Trace doesn’t appear to make laser grips for your gun. By design, the Crimson Trace grip models do not hinder the use of a holster. Rail mount lasers on the other hand can affect holstering the gun.